Improvement in the construction of railroad-cars



l. E. LEEPER,

Construction of Rail-rroadvv-Cars.

Patented Feb.24.1874.

FIG.

wlTNEssEs: i5@ um.

INVENTUR;

UNITnn STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN E. L'EEPER, OF GODFREY, ILLINOIS.

IMPROVEMENT IN THE coNsTRucTloN oF RALRoAo-CARS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent N0. 147,777, dated February 2l, 1874; application filed May 19, 1873.

To all whom fit may concern.'

Be it known that I, JOHN E. Lnnrnn., of Godfrey, Madison county, and State of Illinois, have invented au Improved Construction of Cars, of which the following is a specitication:

This invention presents certain improvements on the patent granted to me of date June 20, 1871, and being numbered 116,069.

The design of this invent-ion is to form either a freight, refrigerator, passenger, or similar car or vehicle, and, therefore, its improved construction relates to a novel formation of the car-body proper.

Of the drawing, Figure l represents a perspective view of the car witlrparts broken away. Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional elevation. Fig. 3 is a bottom plan of part of the car, and to Fig. 4 as a detail bottom plan, showing manner of securing ribs to sills.

The platform of the car is composed of the usual outer sills A Al and flooring properly braced. It is desirable, to achieve my design,

to provide the bottom with additional inner or bottom sills A2 A2 A@l A5. (See Figs. 2 and 3.) Not only is thus a firmer and securer bottom made, but between the sills thus provided the ribs and the suspended chambers are placed. The bottom or 4side sills A A2 Al A3 are, therefore, placed and secured some distance apart to receive the ribs that form the skeleton-body ofthe car. I3 are the frames or ribs, consisting of iron bars united, with astrip of wood, b, intervening. As apparent, the shape of the rib can be either a U or l: (angle) shape. The ribs B, being bent circular, tubular, or similar approximate shape, are relatively set apart, and surround the sides ofthe car. Further, the ribs B pass downbetwecn two outer sills, A A2 A1 A3, and are held in place by bolts. (See Figs. 3 and 4.) The outer and inner shells of sheet metal a a are bent over the ribs, and riveted or bolted thereto. The inner shell e closes the interior of the body to the floor, Fig. 2, while the outside shell passes over the bottom sills A A1. (See Figs. l and 2.) The ends of the car are simply double shelled or lined. The inner shell n. of the body may be part of wood and part sheet metal. Airlpassages b', Fig. 3, are thus left between the two outer sills each side of the car, or between every two ribs throughout the len-gth of the car, for ventilating purposes. Here it will be noticed a most complete ventilation is obtained by the air passing up from the bottom and being admitted into the air-spaces b', rising up intosame between the inner and outer shells or walls of the car, and thus surrounding same. C are doors either side of car, and may be arranged to slide in guides c,- or they can be hinged doors. l), Figs. 2 and 3, are chambers, consisting of sheet metal or plates of a circular form, suspended and secured between the sills A2 Al and A2 A5, the object of the chambers D being either serviceable for hot-air chambers or water-tanks. In the top of the car, for refrigerating purposes, an ice-trough, d, is attached.

From the trough d proper pipe-connection can be made at either end, leading to a chamber, l), below. E is a running-board, with banisters e on each side, and secured properly to top of the car. (See Fi gul.)

That I claim is- The combination of the side sills A A1 A2 A2, chamber D, ribs B, and shells a a', to form a Ventilating-space, b', and to secure a direct introduction of outside air around the body of the car and within the walls thereof, as shown and described.

In testimony of said invention I have hereunto set, my hand in presence of witnesses.

JOIIN E. LEEPER.

Vitnesses:

E. I-I. SMITH, S. A. MEREDi'rH. 

